ʺWhat?ʺ
ʺTristan?ʺ Philip asked, sounding surprised as Lacey.
ʺNot possible,ʹ the angel said adamantly. ʺLast time I was with Tristan, he was headed to the Light. He had fulfilled his mission — thanks to me,ʺ she added.
ʺBy now, he’s far beyond all of us, hanging out with Number One Director, I’m sure.”
“But I felt his arms around me,” Ivy insisted and recounted the details of the accident. When she described looking down at her body in the crushed car, then rising the starry night, Lacey’s purple mist held perfectly still. For a full thirty seconds after Ivy finished, Lacey was uncharacteristically silent.
Ivy thought she might have stopped listening halfway through until Lacey spat out, ʺUnbelievable. Unbelievable!ʺ
Small stones, one after another, were lifted by an invisible hand and hurled into the water. ʺHey!ʺ Philip cried, ʺthat was my best one!ʺ ʺSony.ʺ The shower of stones stopped. ʺI just hope you were hallucinating,ʺ Lacey said to Ivy, ʺbecause if what youʹre describing really happened, thereʹs going to be serious fallout.ʺ Ivy frowned. ʺWhat do you mean9ʺ ʺAngels canʹt go around giving the kiss of life.ʺ
The kiss of life, Ivy repeated to herself, recalling how, when Tristan kissed her, she was suddenly aware of her heart beating. ʺIf s against the rules.ʺ ʺHow do you know?ʺ Ivy asked Lacey. ʺHow do I know? Look at me. What dʹya see?ʺ
ʺFog with an attitude,ʺ Ivy replied. ʺOh, yeah, I forgot. Give me a second..
Lacey materialized herself, then strutted up and down the shore in her ripped leggings and long tank top.
ʺLike my new hair?ʺ she asked, shaking her head. It was tinged purple, long and straight, with blunt‐cut bangs. ʺI picked up a few more skills since we last had the pleasure of working together.ʺ
ʺWow!ʺ Philip exclaimed, reaching out to touch the angel. ʺThe whole you!
Youʹre awesome, Lacey!ʺ
ʺThanks, kid.ʺ She turned to Ivy. ʺFor three years Iʹve successfully put off my mission by breaking the rules. If Iʹm not the expert on forbidden acts, who is? Iʹm telling you — Number One Director does not like his cast members changing the script. There will be repercussions ʺ
ʺBecause Tristan saved me?ʺ Ivy argued. ʺI guess you werenʹt listening in Sunday school. Donʹt you remember the fallen angels story? They wanted to be like God, just like God. If s Godʹs privilege, not ours, to give and take life.”
Ivy didn’t reply. Would Tristan do something forbidden for her sake?
Lacey’s mouth curved in disgust. “Only you could get a guy killed, and one year later, put his soul in jeopardy!ʺ
Ivy and Philip watched as the angelʹs body faded into sand, ocean, and sky.
Philip laid his hand on Ivyʹs arm. ʺMaybe you just dreamed it.ʺ
ʺMaybe,ʺ she replied, but the words rang hollow, even to her.
ON THE WALK BACK FROM THE COVE, IVY ASKED Philip not to mention to anyone that Tristan had helped her.
ʺNot even Will?ʺ
It had upset Will just to hear her playing Tristanʹs song. No, Iʹll tell him myself in a little while. It’ s best not to mention Lacey either,ʺ she added Ivy was relieved when Philip and her mother left on Wednesday morning. Taking off the fitted silk blouse her mother had picked out for her, she pulled on a tie‐dyed T‐shirt, an X‐Large that was leftover from a school fund‐raiser.
For the first time in her life, Ivy was uneasy around Will. Every time he looked at her, she feared he could read her thoughts — and see Tristan there. She trod carefully around Beth and sensed that Beth was being careful around her too.
Kelsey and Dhanya, wrapped up in the guys from Chatham, spent most of their time there, which was fine with Ivy. Her most comfortable companion was Dusty the cat.
On Friday, Will drove Ivy to Hyannis to pick up a rental car, which she would use until the insurance for her totaled car was processed. ʺYouʹre so quiet?ʹ he said when they stopped at a traffic light. ʺAre you worried about something?ʺ
ʺNo.ʺ Her response sounded short and stiff, but Ivy couldnʹt think of a single word to add to it. ʺNo,ʺ she repeated.
Will turned in his seat to study her. (ʹLightʹs green,ʺ she told him. He nodded and drove on. ʺYou know, Ivy, itʹs natural to be a little nervous about driving again.ʺ
ʺIʹm not nervous.ʺ She saw the tightening in his jaw and realized Will felt as if his thoughtfulness had been rebuffed. ʺBecause. . itʹs daytime,ʺ she added lamely. ʺSo, I guess it doesnʹt bother me— the way it might if it were dark, as it was when the accident happened.ʺ
They were silent the rest of the way. Standing together in the hot parking lot, waiting for the rental car, Will rattled his car keys and said, ʺIʹll go with you to your appointment at the hospital, and then maybe we can stop for—ʺ
ʺThanks, thatʹs not necessary.ʹ He squinted at her. ʺYou havenʹt driven since the accident. Suppose a car coming from the opposite direction gets too close to the center line. You donʹt know how youʹre going to react.ʺ
ʺIʹll be okay, Will.ʺ
ʺWhat if I follow you as far as the hospital, but not all the way home,ʺ he suggested.
Ivy shielded her eyes from the sun and the metallic glare of the cars. ʺI can handle it.ʺ
ʺIvy, you were in a really serious accident. Thereʹs a reason the specialist wants to check you one more time, and I would like to be there. Okay?ʺ He placed his hands on her shoulders. Ivy pulled back, then saw the surprise in Willʹs eyes.
Since the night they had come together to fight Gregory, she had never pulled away from his touch. ʺIʹm fine,ʺ she insisted.
He shook his head. ʺYou havenʹt been yourself since the accident. Beth has noticed it too.ʺ Ivy prickled. ʺWhat do you and Beth do, spend your time talking about me?ʺ Excuse us for caring!ʺ
ʺI need some space, Will!ʹʹ His face paled beneath his suntan. ʺSpace. . from me?ʺ She hesitated. ʺFrom everyone. Weʹre living in awfully close quarters.ʺ She could almost convince herself that this was the problem.
ʺFine.ʺ He took two steps back from her and held out his arms, as if giving her spacer ʺFine.ʺ Then he turned and strode to his car. He turned to her one last time, but Ivy didnʹt call him back as he may have expected, and he drove off quickly.
ʺReady, Ms. Lyons?ʺ the rental agent asked, arriving with a key. ʺGot you a new Beetle.ʺ She picked up the shopping bag that she had filled with homemade bread, jam, and cookies— gifts for Andy — then followed the agent across the lot.
An hour later, the doctor told Ivy she would send the test results when they came back, but that everything was looking good. ʺThe folks from EMS are still shaking their heads in amazement,ʺ the doctor said. ʺItʹs nice to give someone such good news.ʺ
Afterward, Ivy took the elevator up to the sixth floor and waited for Andy at the nursesʹ station. He emerged from the room next to the one she had occupied, looking perplexed. ʺHas anyone seen Guy? That boy sure keeps me on my toes.ʺ
ʺNot for a half hour or so,” a dark‐haired nurse answered. ʺHey, look who it is!ʺ
Andyʹs face broke into a smile. ʺBack for a follow‐up?ʺ
ʺAnd to give you this thank‐you,ʺ Ivy said. Andy peeked into the shopping bag, then pulled out the bread. Even in its wrapping, they could smell the tangy sweetness of the apple‐cranberry loaf. Then he took out the tin of cookies and lifted the lid. ʺYum.ʺ
ʺIf s all homemade. Aunt Cindy does her own cooking for the Seabright.ʺ
ʺYouʹre going to share, arenʹt you?ʺ the dark‐haired nurse asked Andy.
ʺMaybe,ʺ he replied with a grin. He and Ivy talked for a few minutes, then she walked to the elevator, contemplating the afternoon ahead of her. She wanted to drive for miles, perhaps to the tip of Cape Cod, and get out on the beach and run.
She pressed the elevatorʹs down button three times, then spotted an exit sign and headed for the stairway door. Raring down the steps. Ivy enjoyed the loud smack of her feet against the concrete surface. Holding on to the metal railing, she swung around the corners of each landing, as Philip would have. She didnʹt see the person crouched on the steps, not until she slammed into him. She tumbled forward and he flung out his arms.